This blog started off by focussing on NZ's smaller 3rd level airlines, past and present. It has evolved to trying to present some record of NZ's domestic airline operations and some of the larger charter operators, interesting NZ international airliner movements and photos I have taken around the country. Comments, corrections or contributions are welcome, Steve - westland831@gmail.com

29 August 2015

Roaring off to the Chathams...

Chathams 591 flown by ZK-CIB roaring off to the Chathams on Thursday. Photos taken at Auckland on 27 August 2015

I would be doubting it, but could be wrong. ATR big investment for Air Chats. Don't think the ATR would quite have the performance/requirements to fulfill Air Chathams needs. AKL-CHT is quite a hike. I was sure they zero timed a Convair airframe? Anyways, could be very wrong. Watch this space I guess

doesnt matter if the airframe was zero houred or not, the spare parts base for these are getting low, particularly props, one of the many reasons afnz is getting rid of their convairs, also the major navigation / avionic upgrades required by airways.

Its more of the rate in which the remaining shops can overhaul the gear, with Fieldair getting out of them it will make getting props easier. The only other item thats scarce are turbines. Same deal again, less operators means more breathing room. All of these items can be replaced with newer equipment if your prepared to spend the money. Buy an Orion would give you spares to upgrade 2 convairs to series 3 engines and Hamilton Std props. 580A's have rediculous performance.

there is a similar thing happening over in Australia at the moment regarding the ads-b avionics transponder requirements. i believe it was the older challenger jets were not and could not legally be upgraded until just recently when an engineer order was accepted by casa for the modification of the avionics. otherwise they would have all been grounded come february 2016. i believe the same issue is with regional expresses saabs, but all 54 of them are hurriedly getting upgraded. it costs a significant amount of operate and maintain old aircraft and there will come a time soon where it will become too cost prohibitive to keep upgrading them and keep buying spares. perhaps the atr is not the aircraft for the job, but it's hard to see what other aircraft would be able to operate out of a 1.3km runway. probably a Q300, or Q400 would provide the best benefit thanks to its speed. although the atr vs. Q300/400 argument has always been that the atr is more economical unless you need terrain clearance, where the Qs can operate in the mid-teens 1-inop. and based on the lack of terrain out of chats, i imagine the atr would be better suited to replacing the convairs. they sure as hell aren't about to go getting an erj170 or crj700. they could get the saab2000 but it's not suited to freight hauling like the atr is.

Depends on the convair, so many modified versions. Enlarged ram air duct on the belly of some slows them down a bit. A slippery one should be able to keep up with ATR speeds on one engine. Dont know much about ATR but rather ride in a convair in the tropics.